Janaka Shows His Warriors Heaven and Hell

Verse 1 (12.99.1)

अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । प्रतर्दनो मैथिलश्च संग्रामं यत्र चक्रतुः ॥

atrāpyudāharantīmamitihāsaṃ purātanam | pratardano maithilaśca saṃgrāmaṃ yatra cakratuḥ

On this subject too they recount an ancient tradition: the battle that Pratardana and the king of Mithila fought.

Note on the text: Corrected उदाहरन्तीम-तिहासं → उदाहरन्तीममितिहासं (misprint in Wikisource; letters lost, printed as a hyphen; CE udāharantīmam itihāsaṃ).

Verse 2 (12.99.2)

यज्ञोपवीती संग्रामे जनको मिथिलाधिपः । योधानुद्धर्षयामास तन्निबोध युधिष्ठिर ॥

yajñopavītī saṃgrāme janako mithilādhipaḥ | yodhānuddharṣayāmāsa tannibodha yudhiṣṭhira

Wearing the sacred thread in battle, Janaka, lord of Mithila, roused his warriors to fervour; hear that, Yudhishthira.

Verse 3 (12.99.3)

जनको मैथिलो राजा महात्मा सर्वतत्त्ववित् । योधानां दर्शयामास स्वर्गं नरकमेव च ॥

janako maithilo rājā mahātmā sarvatattvavit | yodhānāṃ darśayāmāsa svargaṃ narakameva ca

Janaka, king of Mithila, a great soul who knew all truths, showed his warriors heaven and hell.

Verse 4 (12.99.4)

अभीरूणामिमे लोका भास्वन्तो हन्त पश्यत । पूर्णा गन्धर्वकन्याभिः सर्वकामदुहोऽक्षयाः ॥

abhīrūṇāmime lokā bhāsvanto hanta paśyata | pūrṇā gandharvakanyābhiḥ sarvakāmaduho'kṣayāḥ

These shining worlds belong to the fearless; look, they are full of gandharva maidens, granting every desire, and never-ending!

Verse 5 (12.99.5)

इमे पलायमानानां नरकाः प्रत्युपस्थिताः । अकीर्तिः शाश्वती चैव यतितव्यमनन्तरम् ॥

ime palāyamānānāṃ narakāḥ pratyupasthitāḥ | akīrtiḥ śāśvatī caiva yatitavyamanantaram

And these hells stand ready for those who run away, along with everlasting disgrace; therefore you must strive at once.

Verse 6 (12.99.6)

तान्दृष्ट्वाऽरीन्विजयत भूत्वा संत्यागबुद्धयः । नरकस्याप्रतिष्ठस्य मा भूत वशवर्तिनः ॥

tāndṛṣṭvā'rīnvijayata bhūtvā saṃtyāgabuddhayaḥ | narakasyāpratiṣṭhasya mā bhūta vaśavartinaḥ

Having seen them, win victory over your foes with your minds set on giving up your lives; do not fall under the sway of hell, which has no foothold.

Verse 7 (12.99.7)

त्यागमूलं हि शूराणां स्वर्गद्वारमनुत्तमम् । इत्युक्तास्ते नृपतिना योधाः परपुरंजय ॥

tyāgamūlaṃ hi śūrāṇāṃ svargadvāramanuttamam | ityuktāste nṛpatinā yodhāḥ parapuraṃjaya

Renunciation is the root of heroes' success, the supreme door to heaven. Thus addressed by the king, the warriors, O conqueror of enemy cities,

Verse 8 (12.99.8)

अजयन्त रणे शत्रून्हर्षयन्तो नरेश्वरम् । तस्मात्त्यक्तात्मना नित्यं स्थातव्यं रणमूर्धनि ॥

ajayanta raṇe śatrūnharṣayanto nareśvaram | tasmāttyaktātmanā nityaṃ sthātavyaṃ raṇamūrdhani

won victory over their foes in battle, bringing joy to their lord. Therefore one must always stand at the head of the battle, having given up one's own self.

Verse 9 (12.99.9)

गजानां रथिनो मध्ये रथानामनुसादिनः । सादिनामन्तरे स्थाप्यं पादातमपि दंशितम् ॥

gajānāṃ rathino madhye rathānāmanusādinaḥ | sādināmantare sthāpyaṃ pādātamapi daṃśitam

Chariot-fighters should be placed among the elephants, horsemen behind the chariots, and among the horsemen the armoured foot-soldiers as well.

Verse 10 (12.99.10)

य एवं व्यूहते राजा स नित्यं जयते रिपून् । तस्मादेतद्विधातव्यं नित्यमेव युधिष्ठिर ॥

ya evaṃ vyūhate rājā sa nityaṃ jayate ripūn | tasmādetadvidhātavyaṃ nityameva yudhiṣṭhira

The king who draws up his army in this way always conquers his enemies; therefore, Yudhishthira, this should always be done.

Note on the text: Corrected तस्मदितद्विधातव्यं → तस्मादेतद्विधातव्यं (misprint in Wikisource; garbled; the CE reads tasmād evaṃ vidhātavyaṃ and the vulgate tasmād etad, the sense being the same).

Verse 11 (12.99.11)

स्वर्गे सुकृतमिच्छन्तः सुयुद्धेनातिमन्यवः । क्षोभयेयुरनीकानि सागरं मकरा यथा ॥

svarge sukṛtamicchantaḥ suyuddhenātimanyavaḥ | kṣobhayeyuranīkāni sāgaraṃ makarā yathā

Longing for merit in heaven, burning with fury, fighting well, they should throw the enemy ranks into turmoil, as sea-monsters churn the ocean.

Verse 12 (12.99.12)

हर्षयेयुर्विषण्णांश्च व्यवस्थाप्य परस्परम् । तेषां च भूमिं रक्षेयुर्भग्नान्नात्यनुसारयेत् ॥

harṣayeyurviṣaṇṇāṃśca vyavasthāpya parasparam | teṣāṃ ca bhūmiṃ rakṣeyurbhagnānnātyanusārayet

They should cheer the dejected, setting one another in order, and guard the ground they hold; but one should not pursue the broken too far.

Verse 13 (12.99.13)

पुनरावर्तमानानां निराशानां च जीविते । वेगः सुदुःसहो राजंस्तस्मान्नात्यनुसारयेत् ॥

punarāvartamānānāṃ nirāśānāṃ ca jīvite | vegaḥ suduḥsaho rājaṃstasmānnātyanusārayet

For those who turn back again, despairing of life, the onset is very hard to withstand, O king; therefore one should not pursue them too far.

Verse 14 (12.99.14)

न हि प्रहर्तुमिच्छन्ति शूराः प्रद्रवतो भयात् । तस्मात्पलायमानानां कुर्यान्नात्यनुसारणम् ॥

na hi prahartumicchanti śūrāḥ pradravato bhayāt | tasmātpalāyamānānāṃ kuryānnātyanusāraṇam

Heroes do not wish to strike those who flee in fear; therefore one should not chase those who are running away.

Verse 15 (12.99.15)

चराणामचरा ह्यन्नमदंष्ट्रा दंष्ट्रिणामपि । अपाणयः पाणिमतामन्नं शूरस्य कातराः ॥

carāṇāmacarā hyannamadaṃṣṭrā daṃṣṭriṇāmapi | apāṇayaḥ pāṇimatāmannaṃ śūrasya kātarāḥ

The immobile are food for the mobile, the toothless for the toothed, the handless for those with hands, and cowards for the hero.

Verse 16 (12.99.16)

समानपृष्ठोदरपाणिपादाः । पश्चाच्छूरं भीरवोऽनुव्रजन्ति । अतो भयार्ताः प्रणिपत्य भूयः । कृत्वाञ्जलीनुपतिष्ठन्ति शूरान् ॥

samānapṛṣṭhodarapāṇipādāḥ | paścācchūraṃ bhīravo'nuvrajanti | ato bhayārtāḥ praṇipatya bhūyaḥ | kṛtvāñjalīnupatiṣṭhanti śūrān

With backs, bellies, hands and feet the same as his, the timid follow behind the hero; then, afraid, they fall before him again and, joining their palms, wait upon the heroes.

Note on the text: Corrected पश्चाच्छरं → पश्चाच्छूरं (misprint in Wikisource; शर "arrow" for शूर "hero"; CE paścāc chūraṃ).

Verse 17 (12.99.17)

शूरबाहुषु लोकोऽयं लम्बते पुत्रवत्सदा । तस्मात्सर्वेषु लोकेषु शूरः संमानमर्हति ॥

śūrabāhuṣu loko'yaṃ lambate putravatsadā | tasmātsarveṣu lokeṣu śūraḥ saṃmānamarhati

This world hangs upon the arms of heroes, as a son clings to his father, always; therefore the hero deserves honour in all the worlds.

Note on the text: Corrected पुत्रवत्सद । → पुत्रवत्सदा । (misprint in Wikisource; ā dropped; CE sadā).

Verse 18 (12.99.18)

न हि शौर्यात्परं किंचिन्त्रिषु लोकेषु विद्यते । शूरः सर्वं पालयति सर्वं शूरे प्रतिष्ठितम् ॥

na hi śauryātparaṃ kiṃcintriṣu lokeṣu vidyate | śūraḥ sarvaṃ pālayati sarvaṃ śūre pratiṣṭhitam

Nothing in the three worlds is higher than heroism; the hero protects everything, and everything rests upon the hero.